Monday, August 25, 2008

In the first century BC, the picturesque Bay of Naples became afavorite retreat for vacationing emperors, senators, and otherprominent Romans. They built lavish seaside villas in the shadow ofMount Vesuvius where they could indulge in absolute leisure, read andwrite, exercise, enjoy their gardens and the views, and entertainfriends. The artists who flocked to the region to adorn the villas alsocreated paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts for the residents ofPompeii and nearby towns. Pompeii and the Roman Villapresents some 150 works of sculpture, painting, mosaic, and luxuryarts, including recent discoveries on view in the U.S. for the firsttime and celebrated finds from earlier excavations. Exquisite objectsfrom the richly decorated villas reveal the breadth and richness ofcultural and artistic life, as well as the influence of classicalGreece on Roman art and culture in this region. The exhibition alsofocuses on the impact that the 18th-century excavations and rediscoveryof Pompeii and Herculaneum had on the art and culture of the modernworld.

Organization

Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culture around the Bay of Naples isorganized by Museum of Art, with the cooperation of theDirezione Regionale per i Beni Culturali e Paesaggistici della Campaniaand the Soprintendenza Speciale per i Beni Archeologici di the National Gallery of Art, Washington, in associationwith the Los Angeles County Napoli ePompei.

Schedule

National Gallery of Art, October 19, 2008–March 22, 2009;Los Angeles County Museum of Art, May 3–October 4, 2009

For those of you that cannot attend either of the venues, a DVD about the exhibit will be released October 28, 2008 from MicrocinemaDVD with a list price of $19.95.

About The Editor

I am passionate about technology, education and history, particularly ancient history. I am constantly exploring ways to use technology to enhance the learning environment and am particularly ecstatic when I can develop a technology to advance the study of ancient history.Follow me on Twitter! Comments or Questions: mharrsch@uoregon.edu

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